Comments on: Have an Average Day

By: Sean

Sean — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 17:31:23 +0000

What do you think, Julie?

By: Melinda

Melinda — Sun, 20 Jan 2008 04:08:41 +0000

I suppose this admission makes me extraordinarily gullible, but I believed all those people in my teens and early twenties who told me I was amazing, gifted, brilliant, the leader of tomorrow, full of potential, I could do anything I wanted to, and God saved the most faithful people for the last days, and I was one of them! It took me quite a bit of effort to finally shuck off the weight of all those expectations and just be normal.

I try not to tell teenagers how amazing they are, because of my own experiences with believing the people who said that to me. Like anyone needs the pressure to save the world. We think praising people to the skies helps build their self-esteem. Maybe it just scares them to death because now they think you’ll despise them if they fail.

I like my ordinary life much better than the life I lived when I was trying to be exceptional. That was a good article, and very true.

By: Ray

Ray — Sat, 19 Jan 2008 16:57:42 +0000

When I posted a few things here a while ago, I wrote a tribute to my father when my niece died that addresses exactly this point – consciously choosing to live an ordinary life and becoming an extraordinary person. It is the best example I have ever seen – and it shaped my life in more ways that I can list.

Here is the link:

http://www.timesandseasons.org/?p=4173

By: deb

deb — Sat, 19 Jan 2008 06:53:28 +0000

This article may have saved my daughter~! She’s been an overachiever her whole life; puts way more pressure on herself than I ever would. Graduated high school early, earned AA degree at age 18. Daughter is at college, taking 21 credits, all math and science classes. She has called home in tears every day since the semester began, certain she is failing. Yesterday was the worst… she said “if I drop a class or two, I would do better and feel better, but my great grandchildren will laught at me.” I pointed out the obvious; 19 year olds don’t have great grandchildren! I sent her this article as soon as I noticed it. She called again today, laughing. She said “I decided it’s okay if I only get A- in my math class. I told the teacher today I cannot devote 9 hours a day to that one class anymore. I have a date tonight, too!” Her voice sounded normal , healthy, sane, for the first time in 2 weeks!

I firmly beleive we need to do our very best, and not one bit more. Obviously, daughter missed that concept.

By: Matt Donaldson

Matt Donaldson — Sat, 19 Jan 2008 00:55:23 +0000

Reminds me of a quote from President Joseph F. Smith, “To do well those things which God ordained to be the common lot of all mankind, is the truest greatness.” (Gospel Doctrine, Pg. 285.)

By: queuno

queuno — Sat, 19 Jan 2008 00:46:10 +0000

(hit return too soon)

The obvious implication was that since we learn so much more from failure, we should strive to push ourselves to fail and learn from it.

By: queuno

queuno — Sat, 19 Jan 2008 00:45:13 +0000

One of the most intelligent academic researchers I know would continually insist that there he found it more interesting to read a detailed analysis of a failed research project than a successful one. He would then proceed to lament how hard it was to publish failed results.

By: Bethie

Bethie — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 19:05:51 +0000

An interesting article. At first I thought it was about being mediocre and not “going for it”, or slacking from “being the best you can be”.

But then the “still small voice” said, “Joseph Smith was an ordinary boy, who became an exceptional man by living simply, humbly and asking God.”

Ordinary can become extraordinary simply by obeying the Savior’s invitation, “Follow me.”

By: Larry Ogan

Larry Ogan — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 17:50:57 +0000

There is an old Chinese curse that says, “May you live an interesting Life.”

By: Kathryn Lynard Soper

Kathryn Lynard Soper — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 17:24:50 +0000

Julie, I love this. Esp. the part about conveying parental expectations.